1978 Ford ThunderbirdProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 1978 Ford Thunderbird, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)

Safety recalls3Free fix at dealers Owner complaints11 with a crash, fire or injury Top problem1Electrical system

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 22, 2000. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1978 Ford Thunderbird has problems

1 complaint grouped by the system owners reported.

1Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.

Complaints by system
System	Complaints	Crash, fire or injury
Electrical system	1	1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

1978 Ford Thunderbird recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

no report yet

Front: retractor

Recall 78V-108 · May 15, 1978 · 110,000 vehicles

Problem, fix and repair progress →

no report yet

Wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs

Recall 77V-199 · Nov 15, 1977 · 400 vehicles

Problem, fix and repair progress →

no report yet

Lever and linkage: column shift

Recall 77V-185 · Oct 25, 1977 · 19,000 vehicles

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Best & worst years

1978 vs. every other Thunderbird year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Thunderbird median. How we score

0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 3 26 14 23 61 92 1241401121844233002612331693 2 93 33 34 27

'67'70'71'72'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'02'03'04'05

Avoid
Caution
Solid
Best
Not rated

In owners' words

What Thunderbird owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

WHEN I TURNED THE KEY IT WOULD NOT MOVE. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED, AND I COULD NOT DO ANYTHING. THE KEY WILL NOT EVEN MOVE AT ALL. *AK
Complaint 736784 · Nov 22, 2000

Own a 1978 Thunderbird?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.